Who Thrives and Who Struggles in Later Life? Emotional Well-Being in Kazakhstan: An Intracultural Perspective

Introduction Emotional well-being is a vital indicator of the psycho-emotional state and quality of life in old age. In the multi-ethnic society of Kazakhstan, cultural values may be linked to specific manifestations of well-being. The aim of this study is to examine intracultural differences in emotional well-being and its relationship to cultural orientations (individualism–collectivism) among Kazakh and Russian pensioners in Almaty. Methods The study involved 83 pensioners living in the city of Almaty. Life satisfaction, psychological well-being, and depression scales were used to assess emotional well-being, as well as a method for measuring cultural value orientations. Data processing was performed using statistical software. Results Differences in emotional well-being were identified in relation to ethnicity and certain socio-demographic characteristics. Emotional well-being was considered an integral indicator combining life satisfaction, psychological well-being, and depressive symptoms. The results indicate a link between cultural value orientations and variations in emotional well-being in older age. Discussion The results obtained indicate a connection between cultural value orientations and variations in emotional well-being among older adults. In the post-Soviet multicultural society of Kazakhstan, there is a combination of individualistic and collectivist value orientations, which may be related to the peculiarities of psychological adaptation and subjective well-being in later life. Conclusion The results highlight the importance of cultural factors in understanding the emotional well-being of older adults in Kazakhstan's multicultural society and may be useful for further research in the field of gerontopsychology.